Automatic machine-gun mechanism.



(No Model.)

Fatented Feb. i3, B900.

Anplcation led may 1, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet' 2.

WIL m.

(No odel.)

Patented Feb. I3, |900.

No. 643mg.

l F. fri. GARLAND. AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN MECHANISN.

(Application 1ed May 1, 1899.)

3`Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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FRANKMM. GARLAND, CF NEV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATlC lWCHlNE-GUN v'lECHANlSh/l.

SPECIFICATION forming par: of Letters Patent No. 643,119,dateoprebmaryis, leoo.

Application led May l, 1899. Serial No. 715,122. (No model.) I

T all whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that l, FRANK M. GARLAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Machine-Gun Mechanisms, ing .is a specification.

This invention relates to the loading mechanisms of an automaticmachine-gun in which the breech-block and barrel first move back- Wardlytogether under the recoil incident to of which the followthe firing of acartridge, and then as the barrel is drawn forward by theoperating-spring the breech-block is drawn still farther backward andheld until the next cartridge is moved into its path, and thebreech-block is thereby released, so as to thruststhat cartridge intothe breech of the barrel.

The present invention relates to and is an improvement on the mechanismsshown and described in the application for United States Letters Patentfor an automatic machine-gun,

' filed January 27, 1899, and seriallynurnbered gun. Fig. 6 is anenlarged plan showing the 703,610; and the object is to simplify andmake more perfect in action that mechanism of the gun set forth in thatprior application which holds the parts, so as to accomplish thebackward movement of the breech block while the barrel is drawn forward.

This invention resides in the arrangement, location, and action of thecatches that engageand hold the pivot-block of the breechblock levers asit moves backwardly with the breech-block and barrel, so that the leversare required to o scillate and draw back the breechblock as the barrelmoves forward, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointedvont in the claims.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a side elevation ofthefeeding, loading,

and, firing mechanisms of a machine-gun that embodies theinvention, thecasing being out in vertical central section to expose the interior.Fig. 2 is a plan of the pertinent portions of these same mechanisms, thecasing being cutin horizontal central section. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the plane indicated by the broken lineAAof Fig. 2. Fig. lisatransverse section on the plane indicated bythe broken line B B of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a detail View,

of the cartridge-lifter and catch-trip of the catches and the trip. Fig.7 is aside elevation showing the catches and connected parts. Fig. 8 isplan of a modified form of the catches, and Fig. 9 is a transversesection looking at the end ofthe catches that are represented in Fig.,8.

As specified in the application referred to, the barrel of the gunrecoils when a cartridge is fired. With the barrel moves a frame 2, thatis fastened to the breech end of the barrel and that i's extended intothe cylinder 3 at the rear end of the casing, Figs. 1 and 2. On theextension 4 of this frame is fitted a block 5, and this block is thrustforwardly by a spring 6. Projecting fromthesides of this block arearbol-s 7, and mounted upon these are the breeclrblock levers 8.' Theupper endsof these levers are bya' rod 9 connected with an arm l0, thatextends upwardly from the breech-block 1l, while the lower ends of theselevers are bya rod 12 connected with the frame 2, Figs. G and 7. lVhenthe barrel and breech-block recoil and move backwardly tcgether, theblock and the levers and connected rods move back with them as one partin the relative positions illustrated in fullglines in Fig. 7.

Supported by a pin 13, extending between lugs 14, formed on the interiorof the casing, are the catchlevers 15. These catch-levers extendrearwardly from their supporting-pin, and their free ends are notched,so as to provide catchshouldcrs 1G. A spring 17, Wound upon the pin 13,thrusts down the free ends of these levers, which are connected bya bar.

18, so that they will operatetogether, Figs. 1 and 2.- The outer ends ofthe breech-blocklever arbors extend beyond those levers and areprovidedwithsquare shoulders 19. .These shoulders are in the plane of the freeends of the catch-levers, and when the pivot-block and levers are movedvback the catch-shoulders 16, when the catch-levers snap down, engagethe shoulders 19 of the pivot-arbore and hold them temporarily againstforward movement, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7. Vhenthe'breech-block levers 8 are held in thisrnanner by the .retention oftheir IOO pivot-block, the forward, movement of the barrel andbarrel-frame through the rod 12 causes the breech-block levers tooscillate from the position illustrated in full lines to theposition-illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 7, and this causes thebreech-block to be drawn back along the frame' from the breech of thebarrel. The parts remain in'lthi's posiblock isslid along the frame andcaused to one ofthe catch-levers.

close the breech of the barrel, as fully described in the prior.application above referred to. v f

The cartridge-lifter 20, Figs. l, 2, and 5, as' specified in thepriorapplication, is at the proper time thrown up by itsA spring 2l-forlifting a cartridge into line with the breechblock. This lifter issecured to a shaft 22, that is supported by lugs 23, projecting from theinterior of the casing, and the rear end of this is provided with afinger 24, that when the lifter is moved and the shaft rotated engages alug 25, projecting from .the side of The engagement of this finger withthe lug on the catch-levers lifts the catch-levers against the thrust oftheir spring, so as to release the catch-shoulders of the arbor andallow the' block bea-ring the breech-block levers to be thrown forward,Figs. I, 2, and 6. l

The rearwardly-projectin g catch-levers are very simple, and they do notoccupy much space in the casing. These levers drop in front of theshoulders of the arbors and by positive engagement retainl thebreech-block levers until they are easily released vertically from thearbors at the proper time.

In the modiied form illustrated in Figs. 8' and 9 therearwardly-extending catch-levers 26, with their catch-shoulders 27, arepivoted so asto move'horizontally. Theselevers are provided withengaging arms 28, and a spring 29, pressing against the outer edge ofone, causes both to be thrust into the plane of the end of thebreech-block-lever arbors. ln this latter case the catch-shouldersengage with shoulders formed on the ends of the arbors instead of thetop of the arbors,

levers is provided with a lug 80, and the shaft 31 of thecartridge-lifter has a finger 32, that at the proper time engages thelug and causes the levers to move outwardly, so as to release the arborsand allow the pivot-block and breech-block levers to more forwardly. Thecatch-levers of both forms are so connected that they operate togetherand' both snap in 'front of the arbors for holding them and causingthebreech-block to be moved backward. In the first form the catch-leversos- I lcillate verticallyand in the second formhorizontally.- Eachisoperated by a single spring and each has a lug on one side adapted to beengaged by a finger projecting from the cartridge-lifter Shaft.

I claim as my invention--" l. In an automatic' machine-gun 1n combl--nation with the movable barrel, the frame attached tothe barrel, andthe breech-block tia-ily as specified.

One of these Y movable along the frame, a pivot-block movable backwardlyand forwardly along the barrel-frame, breech-block levers mounted uponthe pivot-block and connected .by links with theframe and also with thebreech-block, rearwardly-extending catch-levers pivotally supported byth'e immovable casing, with catch-shoulders near their rear ends adaptedto engage wit-h and temporarily hold against movement the pivot-blockwith the breechblock levers, and mechanisms for releasing thecatch-levers from the pivot-block,sub stan 2. In an automaticmachine-gun in combination with the movable barrel, the frame attachedto the barrel, and the breech-block movable along the frame, apivot-block movable backwardly and forwardly along the barrel-frame,levers mounted upon the pivotblock and connected by links with the frameand also with the breech-block, rearwardly- Sov extending catch-leverspivotally supported by the immovable casing so as to movel vertically,with catch-shoulders near their rear ends adapted to engage with andtemporarily hold against movement the pivot-block levers, and,mechanisms for releasing the catch'- levers from the pivot-l lock,substantially as spe'ciied. s

3. In an automatic machine-gun in combination with the movable barrel,the frame attached to the barrel, and the breech-block movable along theframe, a pivot-block movable backwardly and forwardly along thebarrel-frame, levers connected by links with the frame and with thebreech-block and supported by arbors projecting from the pivotblock,rearwardly-extendingcatch-levers pivotally supported by the immovablecasing, with catch-shoulders nearftheir rear ends adapted to engage withand temporarily hold against movement the arbors of the breechblocklevers, and mechanisms for releasing the catch-levers from thearbors,substantially as specied.

4. In an automatic machine-gun in combination with the movable barrel,the frame attached to lthe barrel, and the breech-block movable alongthe frame, apivot-block movable backwardly and forwardly along the framethat is attached to the barrel, levers connected withA the breech-blockand with the frame and supported by arbors projecting from thepivot-block, rearwardly-extending catch-levers pivotally supported bythe IOO IXO

